Bahram Ali Shayesteh has been involved in millions of dollars of transactions with Afghan narcotics traffickers. He has facilitated the exportation of thousands of kilograms of crystal grade heroin out of Afghanistan and has been responsible for providing hundreds of liters of heroine precursors to Afghan narcotics traffickers.

“By cracking down on the financial support for his international drug trafficking operation, today’s action aims to disrupt Bahram Ali Shayesteh’s nefarious activities,” said OFAC Director Adam Szubin.

Shayesteh is the managing director and 70 percent owner of Intercontinental Baumaschinen und Nutzfahrzeuge Handels GmbH, a Germany-based industrial transportation company also designated today. His wife, Chief Executive Officer and 30 percent owner of the company, Guelin Oezer-Shayesteh was also designated for acting for or on behalf of her husband and Intercontinental Baumaschinen und Nutzfahrzeuge Handels GmbH.

As a result of today’s action, U.S. persons are prohibited from conducting financial or commercial transactions with Shayesteh, his wife, and his company, and any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen.

Today’s action is part of ongoing efforts pursuant to the Kingpin Act to apply financial measures against significant foreign narcotics traffickers worldwide. The Department of the Treasury has designated nearly 1,000 individuals and entities linked to drug kingpins pursuant to the Kingpin Act since June 2000.

Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million.

Other individuals face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act. ​”